Est. 1998
Playing Out of Control Gaming

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Microsoft Pinball Arcade
The Vault · 2000

Microsoft Pinball Arcade

Seven tables, seven decades, one missed opportunity.
DeveloperMicrosoft
PublisherMicrosoft
Released2000
Players1 Player
Windows 95/98ArcadeSimulation
CD AudioDirectXNo Save SystemCampaign

Microsoft Pinball Arcade is a pinball simulation game developed and published by Microsoft for Windows 95/98 and NT 4.0. Released in 2000, it features seven faithfully reproduced tables spanning the 1930s to the 1990s, each representing a different decade. The collection includes historically significant machines such as Baffle Ball (the first modern pinball machine), Humpty Dumpty (the first with flippers), and Haunted House (noted for its innovative multi-level design), along with others like Spirit of '76 and Cue Ball Wizard. The game was created with input from pinball historians Dick Bueschel and Russ Jensen, and all sounds were directly sampled from the original machines. It also includes a brief history of pinball and a trivia quiz. While praised for its accurate physics and authentic audio, the simulation is limited to Gottlieb-licensed tables, omitting many beloved Bally and Williams titles, and lacks the operator adjustments found on real machines.

Screenshots4 shots
Microsoft Pinball Arcade screenshotMicrosoft Pinball Arcade screenshotMicrosoft Pinball Arcade screenshotMicrosoft Pinball Arcade screenshot
In the News3 mentions
Dec 131998
MPOG Christmas Giveaway
MPOG Christmas Giveaway: MPOG has updated and added another 50+ prizes or so and the total giveaway now will give around 60 people prizes.
Deals
Nov 91998
Microsoft Games Holiday Lineup
Microsoft's hot holiday lineup of PC games means no more fruitcake fiascos.
Release
Oct 261998
Microsoft’s Pinball Arcade Trial Version
The trial version of Microsoft's Pinball Arcade is available for download.
Release
How to Play TodayYour options for running this game in 2026
Original Hardware
Available on CD-ROM. Needs a Windows 95/98 or NT 4.0 PC with a Pentium 90, 16 MB RAM, 2 MB DirectX video, and a CD-ROM drive. Autorun installs quickly.
Emulation / Other Options
Runs natively on supported Windows versions; no emulation required.
Game Record
PlatformWindows 95/98
DeveloperMicrosoft
PublisherMicrosoft
GenreArcade, Simulation
Players1 Player
Original PC Specs
OSWindows 95/98 or NT 4.0
CPUPentium 90 or higher
RAM16 MB RAM
GPU / DisplayDirectX-compatible video with at least 2 MB video RAM
Storage50 MB hard drive space
DriveCD-ROM